SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING LOCATION SERVICES IN WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20120276920A1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Mangold, Stefan, Aiello, Roberto, Gorlatova, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for managing location services in wireless networks. One aspect provides for broadcasting an identifier from a terrestrial wireless device in a determinable position; repeatedly changing the identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device; and associating a current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device with a physical location. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

broadcasting an identifier from a terrestrial wireless device in a determinable position;

repeatedly changing the identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device; and

associating a current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device with a physical location.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the physical location of the terrestrial wireless device from the current identifier.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining in a database an association of the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device and the physical location.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

consulting the database to look up the association of the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device with the physical location.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting location information of the physical location to a client device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein accuracy of the location information of the physical location depends upon an access level of a recipient.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

computing the physical location of the terrestrial wireless device from the current identifier.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the physical location of the terrestrial wireless device is determined from the current identifier indirectly.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device comprises one or more of:

a cell phone base station identifier;

a wireless access point device identifier; and

a short range wireless technology device identifier.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device comprises one or more of a service set identification, a MAC address, and an IP address.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the terrestrial wireless device comprises one or more of a cellular base station, a femtocell base station, and a wireless access point device.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving credentials of a client device; and

providing location information whose accuracy depends upon the credentials received.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the location information is one or more of:

intentionally erroneous, and random.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

providing intentional error with respect to the location information of a plurality of base stations such that one or more devices observing location information from the plurality of base stations cannot determine accurate location information.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device is protected.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein a level of protection for the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device modulates accuracy of location information.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial device is encrypted.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a current identifier broadcast from a terrestrial wireless device in a determinable position, wherein the terrestrial wireless device repeatedly changes an identifier that is broadcast; and

using the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device to determine a physical location associated with the terrestrial wireless device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device comprises one or more of:

a cell phone base station identifier;

a wireless access point device identifier; and

a short range wireless technology device identifier.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device comprises one or more of a service set identification, a MAC address, and an IP address.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the terrestrial wireless device comprises one or more of a cellular base station, a femtocell base station, and a wireless access point device.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein said receiving over a network a current identifier broadcast from a terrestrial wireless device is performed by a client device.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the client device comprises one or more of a mobile phone and a mobile computing device.

24. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

placing a monitoring device within wireless transmission range of the terrestrial wireless device;

wherein said receiving step is performed by the monitoring device.

25. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

maintaining in a database an association of the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device and the physical location.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

consulting the database to look up the association of the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device with the physical location.

27. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

receiving location information at a client device.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein accuracy of the location information depends upon an access level of the client device.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

providing credentials to a remote device; and

receiving location information whose accuracy depends upon the credentials supplied.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device is protected.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein a level of protection for the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device modulates accuracy of location information of the physical location.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial device is encrypted.

33. A method comprising:

broadcasting a geocode as an identifier from a terrestrial wireless device, wherein the geocode comprises an indicia of geographical location of the terrestrial wireless device.

34. A method comprising:

receiving in a mobile device an identifier broadcast from a terrestrial wireless device located at a particular position; and

using the identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device to determine a physical location of the mobile device even in absence of a logical connection existing between the mobile device and the terrestrial wireless device.